Wilting Fire (Elementals 1)
by CharizardMeganium
Summary: Re-writing my old story, Stalked and Stolen. After a horrible encounter with a man named Orval, Alexandria vowed she would never raise pokémon. However, after a few years, she is forced to leave on her journey. But when the only friend she has ever known is kidnapped and Orval makes another appearance, Alexandria decides to finally end her troubled past. Please R&R! Enjoy!


I can hear my mother's voice come up the stairs, loud but not rude. "Hurry along now, Alexandria! I don't want to drag you to the lab today. You promised that you would go!"

I did. I wish I hadn't now, because the last thing I wanted to do was leave my home. Thankfully, she packed my bag, even including some pokéballs and potions that I'm not sure I'm allowed to have, because I don't have my pokémon licence yet. Well, I do, but I need to validate it by getting a pokémon. I sent in my request to get a pokémon a few weeks ago, when they announced a new shipment of the rare starters available in Kanto. They hadn't changed them over the years, and I knew which one I wanted since I was five and first saw them all.

I make my way down the stairs, holding onto the railing so I don't fall. The bag I'm holding must be at least a few pounds, but I recall someone saying you get used to it, or you could have your pokémon carry it. The second option wasn't a choice for me, because the pokémon I would receive would be small, and as the card clearly stated, _difficult, _even as it evolved. That didn't stop me.

My mother pulls me into a tight embrace and I recoil slightly before melting into it. She won't let me leave until I do. She takes my bag in her hand and puts in a lunch, struggling to fit the small paper bag into it. She eventually manages and gives me back my bag, smiling.

"Make me proud."

The words make tears come to my eyes but I force them back, hugging her once more before opening the door and walking out. I look back, not because I want to see her, but because I know. This might be the last time I'll ever be in Pallet town.

I don't blame her for what happened, but this place has too many bad memories that taint the good ones from ever reaching me. She waves and I return the gesture, continuing on. The path is sandy and I have a few blocks to go before I reach the official lab for Kanto. Being in the smallest town here has only one advantage, I think. Advantages aren't something I think of frequently.

I pass by my neighbor's houses, but I can barely remember their names, as they hardly ever come out of their homes. They have their pokémon do everything for them. Gather food. Hang the clothes. Anything that requires going outside. I don't blame them, as most people today live in that exact way. They have one of each basic type of pokémon to live their lives. One electric, to power the house. One fire, to cook the food. One water, for the infinite water supply. The other three are usually some of the trainer's favorite pokémon. My mother and I are one of the few people that don't live like that.

Maybe because the only pokémon we have are a glameow and a sandshrew, both of which I was supposed to take on my journey four years ago. But that journey never happened, and both pokémon are staying home. I can take care of myself. Almost everyone in this region has a pikachu, because it is Ash's main pokémon, but none are as powerful as his. We don't have one because we don't understand the point of everyone having the same pokémon. Which is when sandshrew comes in. Most attacks pikachu throws, sandshrew is almost completely unaffected.

The lab is big, as I expected, but has a nice home-y feel to it. I open the doors, heavy so that some of the small pokémon that can escape the cages won't be able to push the doors open and escape. It's happened before, in another region. Every lab, pokécenter, and place where pokémon are kept must have the heavy, steel doors I am pushing open now.

There are three interns who stand to the right of the door and motion for me to come over.

"Are you here to get you first pokémon?" I nod yes and he motions for me to follow him. The others stay behind, probably one for each new trainer today. I am the first one here, then. I see a table with three pokéballs on it, and suck in a breath. I can find the other two starters in the wild, but the possibility is rare. I want all three. Then I hear the doors open again, and I whip up Charmander's pokéball, claiming it. I throw it in the air once.

Nothing comes out. I stare at the air in confusion as the ball comes down and I scramble, but make it just in time to catch the flying, empty ball. The intern laughs and I want to hit him, but I keep my hands to myself.

"The pokémon are being stored somewhere else. They were rowdy, and couldn't stay in their pokéballs. Charmander especially."

We then go to another room with glass for walls, and the pokémon are all rolling in the pens, over each other. Squirtle is kept with bulbasaur, and charmander is alone. If he was with any of them, he could be killed or kill one of them. I open the door, carefully closing it so they can't jump out. Charmander looks defiantly at me, turning his back as he sees the pokéball. I summon him anyway, and the intern pulls a pokédex and a few pokéballs from his pocket, giving them to me with another smile.

The other interns behind me laugh, and I see that the other boy who is picking his pokémon has just realized the pokéball is empty. He throws out a pokéball and a persian comes out, snarling. He walks over to the door before the intern stops him. Now all the interns are talking to him, telling him to put the persian in it's pokéball before it destroys the entire lab.

This is who the bulbasaur or squirtle will go to? I shutter at the thought, looking back at the two pokémon. Charmander then decides to come out of his pokéball. He observes the situation, and stands on guard, ready to attack the persian. I know that it won't fit through the small door to get into this room. The man simply yells more and an argument begins, but no one has the courage to walk up to the large persian. It could easily kill any of them. I look at the room. There is another entrance, lading to another exit of the lab.

I look back at the pokémon and the door. I take out two other pokéballs so my remaining amount is eleven with the ones my mother sneaked in, and summon bulbasaur and squirtle. I open the door quietly, then bolt.

I didn't think that I could return to my home. Now, I don't have a choice. Here, years after Ash Ketchum died, the punishment for stealing another's pokémon is death. I take the only route out of Pallet Town, but this time, I don't look back.

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**A/N: Thanks for reading, guys! If you have time, a review, follow, or favorite would be awesome. Have a great day, and long weekend,**

**LilyxXxXx**


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